Anatomical precontoured plating

Abstract

Precontoured plating, screws, instruments and methods for osteosynthesis. Plates according to the present invention take advantage of the fact that human adult craniofacial structure and shape is highly similar among the population. The plates are thus preformed, pretempered, precontoured, and preconfigured during manufacture to fit a large proportion of the human adult population. The plates consequently require less time during surgery to twist and bend to conform to the skeletal structure and their crystalline and other structural characteristics need not be adversely affected by extensive bending, twisting and shaping in the operating room. The plates may be packaged and presented for use on forms which simulate portions of the skull so that their intended craniofacial location is easily recognized by members of the surgical team. Because bone thickness at particular craniofacial skeletal locations is highly consistent in the adult population, appropriate length screws may also be packaged with the plates with which they are to be used, as for instance, by insertion through the plates on the skeletal-shaped packaging form. The packaging also allows the plates to be presterilized to save time which would otherwise be used for sterilizing the plates. Screws, screw transport units and starters and dispensers for the plates and screws are also disclosed.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method of manufacturing an osteosynthesis plate having a top face and a bottom face, comprising the steps of: (a) selecting a craniofacial stabilization site on the human skull which is desired to be stabilized using an osteosynthesis plate;   (b) preparing a stamp that has been contoured in three dimensions to fit the structure and shape of craniofacial sites on a plurality of human skulls whose locations on the skulls correspond to the location of the craniofacial stabilization site;   (c) providing material for forming the plate; and   (d) stamping the material to form an osteosynthesis plate that is contoured in three dimensions to fit the structure and shape of the craniofacial sites on the plurality of human skulls corresponding to the craniofacial stabilization site, by pressing the stamp against the entire top face and bottom face of the plate.   
     
     
       2. A method of manufacturing an osteosynthesis plate according to claim 1 further comprising the step of cutting the plate from the material, apart from the step of stamping the material. 
     
     
       3. A method of manufacturing an osteosynthesis plate according to claim 2 in which the step of cutting the plate from the material occurs before from the step of stamping the material. 
     
     
       4. An osteosynthesis plate manufactured according to the method of claim 1. 
     
     
       5. A method of manufacturing an osteosynthesis plate that has a top face, a bottom face and a plurality of holes connecting the top and bottom faces, and that is curved in the face dimension, cross sectional dimension and contour dimension to fit a site on the craniofacial portion of the human skull that is desired to be stabilized by virtue of having been curved in those dimensions to fit the structure and shape of craniofacial sites on a plurality of human skulls whose locations on the skulls correspond to the location of the craniofacial stabilization site, comprising the steps of: (a) selecting a craniofacial stabilization site on the human skull which is desired to be stabilized using the plate;   (b) preparing a stamp that has been curved with non-uniform radii of curvature in each of the face dimension, cross sectional dimension and contour dimension to fit the structure and shape of craniofacial sites on a plurality of human skulls whose locations on the skulls correspond to the location of the craniofacial stabilization site;   (c) providing material for forming the plate; and   (d) stamping the material to form an osteosynthesis plate that is contoured in three dimensions to fit the structure and shape of the craniofacial sites on the plurality of human skulls corresponding to the craniofacial stabilization site, by pressing the stamp against the entire top face and bottom face of the plate; and   (e) after steps (a) through (d), placing the plate in packaging that identifies the craniofacial site for which the plate is contoured.   
     
     
       6. A method of manufacturing an osteosynthesis plate according to claim 5 further comprising the step of cutting the plate from the material, apart from the step of stamping the material. 
     
     
       7. A method of manufacturing an osteosynthesis plate according to claim 6 in which the step of cutting the plate from the material occurs before from the step of stamping the material. 
     
     
       8. A packaged osteosynthesis plate manufactured according to the method of claim 5.